Whenever I cook chicken breasts, I try to cook extra to add to casseroles and salads. I’ve found it’s easiest and fastest to cook them in the Instant Pot, and they come out perfect and juicy every time. Cooked chicken breasts freeze beautifully (I always add some of the juice), and it’s nice to have them at the ready for quick meals. One of the things I use cooked chicken for is this Easy, Creamy Chicken Bake. Not only does it call for cooked chicken, but also cottage cheese, which I always seem to have on hand and need to use up before it spoils. It takes only a few minutes to put this casserole together, and the crunchy topping complements the creamy chicken mixture. I like to serve it with buttered rice and a fresh green vegetable.

If you’re looking to save time, use packaged cooked and crumbled bacon (my son calls it “fake-on” but it is a timesaver for me). If you don’t have time to cook the chicken, you can use a rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken from your freezer. It also works with turkey, so consider this luscious casserole for leftovers during the holidays.
8 Servings

Instant Pot Chicken:
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cleaned and trimmed of fat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chicken broth, (or 1 cup water and 1 bouillon cube

1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled or 1 cup packaged crumbled bacon

Creamy Sauce:
1/2 cup sour cream
4 ounces softened cream cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1 10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes, or 1/2 cup finely chopped onion

Topping:
3 ounces Buttery Crackers such as Ritz, (1 sleeve), crushed
6 tablespoons melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Spray an 11" x 7" shallow glass casserole dish with non-stick spray.
3. Instant Pot ChickenSpray the pan of an Instant Pot with non-stick spray and set the pot to the sauté setting.
4. Brown the chicken breasts lightly on each side, sprinkling with salt and pepper.
5. Pour the chicken broth over all, cover the pot, set the valve to sealing, and set to manual for 5 minutes.
6. When the cycle has finished, release the pressure and cut the chicken breasts into 1/2" chunks. If you're in a hurry, just use rotisserie or other cooked chicken (about 4 cups).
8. AssemblySpread the chicken in the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with the cooked bacon.
9. Creamy Sauce: Whisk together the cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup until smooth; add the garlic and onion flakes.
10. Spread the mixture over the chicken and bacon.
11. Topping:Mix the cracker crumbs and melted butter; sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole.
12. Bake 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and the crumbs are crunchy and golden.

Amount Per Serving:
Calories 474 Calories from Fat 302
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 64% Protein 26% Carb. 11%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 34 g
Saturated Fat 14 g
Cholesterol 117 mg
Sodium 1023 mg
Total Carbohydrate 13 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 30 g

Vitamin A 18% Vitamin C 7% Calcium 0% Iron 10%